Take a Sad Song and Make it Better
by Dienne Herlsif
Summary: Hermione's seventh year; Voldemort's dead; Dumbledore throws a party; dances are fun to write! Songfic of The Beatles' 'Hey Jude'
1. Take a Sad Song and Make It Better

_Take a Sad Song and Make it Better_ is something of a songfic. I just thought that 'Hey Jude' by the Beatles _belonged_ in a Snape/Hermione fic. I do not own the Beatles, any of their songs, or JKR's HP world; that, I just manipulate. Fun, fun! Teacher-Student relations on the way, so if you don't like that kinda stuff, that's what your back button was made for.

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_Take a Sad Song and Make it Better_ by Dienne Herlsif

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Severus Snape was pissed, to say the least. Oh sure, he was happy that Voldemort was finally gone for good, and the world could move on without such fear. He would remain civil for that reason, at least. But this party... As soon as the news had spread that Harry Potter had finally saved the world in his seventh year, just as all those Muggles who somehow found out about him had guessed, Dumbledore announced a formal party. All faculty attended, and were encouraged this time even to dance with the students. __

Hey, Jude, don't make it bad  
Take a sad song and make it better  
Remember to let her into your heart  
Then you can start to make it better

Snape was actually quite fond of Beatles tunes. This one, however, seemed always to rub him the wrong way. What also didn't help this time was having Hermione Granger dancing with him. He'd been carefully avoiding most every student, only dancing when Dumbledore's frown reached him. Since Hermione was head girl, Dumbledore would no sooner let Snape avoid this dance than revive Voldemort.

She was awfully close to him. Far too close for comfort. Ability and courtesy kept their eye contact, and Snape was having trouble reading what was there. Frustrating, that, since he was supposed to be so great at such a thing. Was there mischief in that twinkle? Delight? For a split second her eyes left his and flickered over to her partners in crime. Ah, of course. There must have been some kind of bet on whether _the greasy git_ would actually dance with the Gryffindor know-it-all.

__

Hey, Jude, don't be afraid  
You were made to go out and get her  
The minute you let her under your skin  
Then you begin to make it better

Under his hands she moved, graceful by his lead. The thought of her talents there and in his classroom returned. She was, in fact, talented in every class, except for that year she took Divination. The rumors floating about after that had been hilarious, although he had to admit he himself wasn't particularly fond of that class or Trelawney.

That damn twinkle was still there when Hermione's eyes returned. Conflicting emotion coursed through him. Anger and frustration always came when he didn't know just what was going on... but really he had no problem with the girl. She was probably the smartest student he'd ever had the pleasure to teach - hold the phone! _Pleasure_ to teach? Where did _that_ thought come from?

__

And any time you feel the pain, hey, Jude, refrain  
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders  
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool  
By making his world a little colder

Snape would have sneered at the song, had Hermione not been staring solidly at him. Delight and mischief had been joined by about a hundred other emotions, and they were difficult to distinguish. Ha, she was just as confused as he.

__

da da da da, da da da da  
Hey, Jude! Don't let me down  
You have found her, now go and get her  
Remember, to let her into your heart  
Then you can start to make it better

Suddenly Snape found himself contemplating the existence of Fate. Ironic, considering he had just been mentally bashing a Seer. Now all he considered was the fact he could hardly breathe.

__

So let it out and let it in, hey, Jude, begin  
You're waiting for someone to perform with  
And don't you know that it's just you, hey, Jude,  
You'll do, the movement you need is on your shoulder

Holy hell. Was it possible he didn't imagine that? That pressure, there, from her hand on shoulder? _Those eyes,_ he told himself. _Look there for the answer._ And, yes, he found the answer: she knew the song. She was singing it behind those eyes and, more importantly, dedicating it to him. That may have been what she was doing all along...

Then she was humming.

__

da da da da, da da da da, yeah

Eye contact held. On one hand he was proud at her nerve, and yet, at the same time, it enraged him.

__

Hey, Jude, don't make it bad  
Take a sad song and make it better  
Remember to let her under your skin  
Then you begin to make it better  
better, better, better, better, better, oh yeah!

Oh, what the hell. The song still had half its length left. He may as well enjoy it, even if it wasn't appropriate to continue afterward. That's when he would have to end this. But would he really refuse to make it better?

__

da da da da da da da, da da da da, hey jude...


	2. Part Two: To Make It Better

Thanks so much, Wrenny! I probably would not have given this a thought without having some feedback. *does a lil happy dance*

To anyone reading, no, this is not a chaptered story. The first was meant to stand alone before I thought otherwise, and now we have part two. No plans for a part three, but you never know. Thanks for your time!

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_Part 2: To Make it Better_ by Dienne Herlsif

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At the end of her fourth year, Hermione found out just to which side Snape was loyal, and that, in fact, he had been on the side of light since before she was born. She then started to notice other bits of interest about Hogwarts' Potions Master. His concentration and awareness never wavered. He had an enormous, brooding presence and could grasp someone's attention with just one sarcastically witty statement. His speech and knowledge of potions gave just a tiny glimpse into his brilliant mind.

_And_ Hermione suspected he had a one of his rather large hands in on the downfall of Voldemort. Something about the story Harry relayed hadn't made sense, was rattled off just a little too fast. If that was the case, then God knows how many other acts of the light Snape should have gotten credit for. Alright, so she was becoming infatuated with him. By seventh year she would admit that, if only to herself. But after the fall of Voldemort, she noticed one undeniable fact. He was exhausted.

Sure he was doing well at hiding it, but after years of watching, she could tell. And the staff had noticed, too, it seemed. They'd approach him and he would just shrug them off, too tired to think up a sarcastic retort. That was definitely not good. So when Dumbledore announced this dance, Hermione's heart skipped a beat. If she could manage to keep an ear out for an appropriate song...

_Hey, Jude, don't make it bad  
Take a sad song and make it better  
Remember to let her into your heart  
Then you can start to make it better_

Sad as it once seemed, Hermione loved the same music as her parents. The Beatles had easily become her favorite, and it was just her luck this particular one started playing about the time she and Snape found each other on the dance floor. She knew he couldn't turn her down. As Head Girl, she was expected to have a dance with all the male teachers, just as a formality.

Harry and Ron knew she had to have at least one dance. However, they were certainly not in the loop of her ulterior motives. She stole a quick glance at them and found them engrossed in a flirtfest with a group of girls. Good. They didn't have to see the current smile on her face.

_Hey, Jude, don't be afraid  
You were made to go out and get her  
The minute you let her under your skin  
Then you begin to make it better_

When her eyes returned to proper contact, Hermione kept her smile but switched tracks in her train of thought. He was an amazing dancer. She had enough ability to manage, but it was easy under his lead. This was much better than dancing with Harry or Ron, and not even comparable to Neville's clumsy feet.

There was so much no one knew about this teacher. Granted, most of the teachers were rather distant when concerning their personal lives, but, seriously, if _they_ were even down the block distant, this man was quasar-distant. He kept himself colder and further off than was likely good for him.

_And any time you feel the pain, hey, Jude, refrain  
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders  
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool  
By making his world a little colder_

If she wanted to bridge that quasar-distance, she'd have to be more than serious about it. He was looking rather closed tonight, as usual. However there was something about him she couldn't put her finger on. Something in the way he held that eye contact without a scowl or a sneer, as she would expect Paul McCartney to recieve right about now.

_da da da da, da da da da  
Hey, Jude! Don't let me down  
You have found her, now go and get her  
Remember, to let her into your heart  
Then you can start to make it better_

Interesting. Maybe there was hope for this man to have some happiness. He'd just have to let her into his heart. She nearly giggled at the thought, but then she took a look into his eyes again and they were much lighter than she remembered. Those eyes weren't black, as most of her classmates suspected, but a very dark brown. And currently, they were conveying some confusion. And then irony, rage, frustration, and finally hope. Hermione suddenly could not breathe.

She had to do just one thing more. No matter what would happen after, if anything, there was just one certain motion she had to make, to tell him something of what she felt.

_So let it out and let it in, hey, Jude, begin  
You're waiting for someone to perform with  
And don't you know that it's just you, hey, Jude,  
You'll do, the movement you need is on your shoulder_

Once again she saw in his eyes confusing and then hope. Oh, Lord, this could get interesting. Daring a most risky dare, Hermione decided it was time to start humming.

_da da da da, da da da da, yeah_

How come she had never noticed the expressiveness of his eyes? She was bold out staring at him, humming the song being something of an involuntary motion anyway. It seemed there were further internal conflicts related to that daring of hers... heh, she really _was_ a Gryffindor, after all. No wonder he was mostly angry.

_Hey, Jude, don't make it bad  
Take a sad song and make it better  
Remember to let her under your skin  
Then you begin to make it better  
better, better, better, better, better, oh yeah!_

He was thinking with all his brainpower at that moment, she could tell, and she would simply continue to hum the song in patience. She knew very well she had the upper hand at the moment, and her heart soared. He would not refuse her help to make it better.

_da da da da da da da, da da da da, hey jude..._


End file.
